Quote from Mr. Pinkus

...the episodes, according to Valve, are technically HL3.

Which is stupid because each episode only added a few things other than new levels.

A game doesn't have to have new technology to be a sequel. It's the PLOT that defines that. If it were the technology that gave sequel status, then a prequel would have to have lesser technology, which obviously isn't the case.

Oh well though, because they've stated HL isn't stopping at just a trilogy.

They say the episodes are technically HL3 because they are technically a third installment, but that doesn't mean that they won't make a title called "Half-Life 3" and will skip straight to "Half-Life 4". In fact, sicne the episodes were labeled "Half-Life 2: Episode BLANK", it would confuse the mainstream market.

The question isn't whether the episodes count as the third installment, it's whether they will make another installment TITLED Half-Life 3.

Based on the example set by the transition between HL1 and HL2, they'll surely have a completely new setting, a new cast of characters, and a new twist on gameplay.


Now, back to HL2:EP3.

I think my biggest question is this: How will the 360 version be released? It would make sense to release it as either an expansion to The Orange Box or a Live download, but seeing as they are planning the release of Portal 2 as well, what I expect is quite straightforward: another "Orange Box", perhaps with the obvious title "The Orange Box Two", or maybe a more sideways-stepped title, like "The Yellow Box" or "The Fuchsia Box."

Since it would be a disservice to fans to release it with only 2 games (Portal 2 and HL2:EP3), they will likely have a total of 5 games on the discm, just as with Orange Box. They only have 2 known games in development, however, so it's quite possible that they may suprise everyone with some hidden projects.

I'd wager they'd use the same formula as with the first Orange Box, releasing A)A full installment
B)One episode
C)Another episode
D)A Portal installment
E)an online game. B and C are impossible, since they only have one Episode left (Ep3), but they may have something else in store to fill the void.


What I hope for is this as the lineup:

A)Half-Life Source or Black Mesa Source (Preferably BMS, since HLS was pretty half-assed) as the full iInstallment

B)HL2:EP3 as the HL2 episode

C)Possibly some HL2 spin off, like how HL1 had Blue Shift

D)Portal 2 for the Portal installment

E)Day of Defeat Source or Counter Strike Source as the online game

I heard Left4dead is supposed to be released in the new box.

Quote from Jeremy

I heard Left4dead is supposed to be released in the new box.

Okay, that would fill the online slot then.

Yeah, by now we've all heard that after the next episode it's going to be HL3...but why? It's confusing as ****, why have episodes where it could just be HL1, 2, 3, etc.? With the episodes, sure the title sounds cooler and longer, but it's un-eeded. I kinda hope it doesn't end, as long as we get some answers to some questions like:

1. Where is Breen?
2. Where is Barney?
3. Will we see GLaDOS again?
3. What part will Aperture Science play?
4. Whats with the Borealis?
5. Is Chell really dead?

But I don't want it to dread on until I'm in my 20's and Gordon and Alyx still haven't ****ed. It's going to be challenging for Valve to create a difinitive, solid, happy and satisfying ending to such an epic storyline. And after the HL series, I wonder whats next.

I think they will have sex sometime, but we wont see it.

Of course they will, Eli would have wanted it that way.

He got om nom nomd by an advisor. Lul.

Quote from Jeremy

I think they will have sex sometime, but we wont see it.

Hot Coffee Patch 2 anyone? Heh heh

Quote from Myself

Of course they will, Eli would have wanted it that way.

He got om nom nomd by an advisor. Lul.

Mind **** emirite?

Anyway, I doubt it will happen. I bet you would end up having to save her for a mission. Then you're like "Awww yeah, she is going to owe me". But then it goes sour and she ends up dying.

And if it does happen, they won't have an animation for it. Therefore, you never get to see it no matter how bad you rape the console.

Nah, we saved that bitches dad. Sure it began to be futile and meaningless. But what can happen, Gordon will say something to set her off? HA!

Quote from MiniMan

Yeah, by now we've all heard that after the next episode it's going to be HL3...but why? It's confusing as ****, why have episodes where it could just be HL1, 2, 3, etc.? With the episodes, sure the title sounds cooler and longer, but it's un-eeded. I kinda hope it doesn't end, as long as we get some answers to some questions like:

1. Where is Breen?
2. Where is Barney?
3. Will we see GLaDOS again?
3. What part will Aperture Science play?
4. Whats with the Borealis?
5. Is Chell really dead?

But I don't want it to dread on until I'm in my 20's and Gordon and Alyx still haven't ****ed. It's going to be challenging for Valve to create a difinitive, solid, happy and satisfying ending to such an epic storyline. And after the HL series, I wonder whats next.

They are part of the same story arc, so they have the Half-Life 2 title. When Half-Life 3 comes out, it will have a different plotline, and a different set of sequels.

Quote from Ash

A game doesn't have to have new technology to be a sequel. It's the PLOT that defines that. If it were the technology that gave sequel status, then a prequel would have to have lesser technology, which obviously isn't the case.

...I never said a sequel needed new technology, I said something about content in sequels.

Each episode actually did add something new technically to the Source engine, like the shadows in Episode 2. But content wise, we haven't been getting that much new stuff.

In Episode 1, we got the zombine and... umm, thats basically it. A new "weapon" is the flare, and you could argue stalkers were new because you fought some, but those were in HL2 already.

We got more City 17 and more Citadel, umm, hurray for that.

Episode 2, the new "weapon" is used for only a certain scene, and we got a new enemy or two (don't say the antlion grubs were enemies, they were passive NPCs). Ofcourse, the levels in Episode 2 were a whole lot better than the first episode and were actually new, so kudos for that.

But really, the official HL2 episodes need some actual new content in the form of weapons or enemies or ANYTHING. If the game takes place in Borealis, then cool, we get a nice little glacier-like setting. But will we be using the same SMG2/Gravity Gun/Every other same exact weapon to fight the same enemies, except maybe a new enemy that's just a recolored combine?

Don't get me wrong, I like HL2 and it's still a great game. It's just ridiculous to pay so much for very little new content (and you had to pay basically a full priced game for episode 2, thanks to the cash cows of EA)

Wait, wut. Wasn't EP2 just $20? And the entire orage box with FIVE ****ing games was $50 and now it's $30-$40? I know money is tight today, but geez.

Quote from Mr. Pinkus

...I never said a sequel needed new technology, I said something about content in sequels.

Each episode actually did add something new technically to the Source engine, like the shadows in Episode 2. But content wise, we haven't been getting that much new stuff.

In Episode 1, we got the zombine and... umm, thats basically it. A new "weapon" is the flare, and you could argue stalkers were new because you fought some, but those were in HL2 already.

We got more City 17 and more Citadel, umm, hurray for that.

Episode 2, the new "weapon" is used for only a certain scene, and we got a new enemy or two (don't say the antlion grubs were enemies, they were passive NPCs). Ofcourse, the levels in Episode 2 were a whole lot better than the first episode and were actually new, so kudos for that.

But really, the official HL2 episodes need some actual new content in the form of weapons or enemies or ANYTHING. If the game takes place in Borealis, then cool, we get a nice little glacier-like setting. But will we be using the same SMG2/Gravity Gun/Every other same exact weapon to fight the same enemies, except maybe a new enemy that's just a recolored combine?

Don't get me wrong, I like HL2 and it's still a great game. It's just ridiculous to pay so much for very little new content (and you had to pay basically a full priced game for episode 2, thanks to the cash cows of EA)

Those are all valid complaints, but the Episodes are just continuations of the Half-Life 2 story, and are technically part of Half-Life 2.

And I somewhat agree about the prices, but not when you consider the Orange Box. It's 5 games for the price of one.

Quote from Ash

Those are all valid complaints, but the Episodes are just continuations of the Half-Life 2 story, and are technically part of Half-Life 2.

And I somewhat agree about the prices, but not when you consider the Orange Box. It's 5 games for the price of one.

But not when you realise you already bought two of the games out of those 5. It's a GREAT deal if you hadn't owned or played HL2/Ep1, but look how the bundle came to be.

Orange Box was all five

Black Box was just Ep2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2, where people could just pay that amount for the new content, but then we get the shaft.

"HEY GUYS, WE'RE NOW MAKING IT SO YOU HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING AGAIN SO HAHA IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THE GAME PAY FULL PRICE BITCHES"

Oh well though, hopefully Ep3 will START out as a single purchase, and won't just be in a packaged set.

...they're probably gonna make the Orange Crate next

HL2
HL2 Ep 1
HL2 Ep 2
HL2 Ep 3
CS 2
Portal
Portal 2
Left 4 Dead
Team Fortress 2

For the price of 200$

Actually, they've released a collection of every Valve game. I think it's just $150. Or at least, they did a while back.